eBay UK: 16% of Brits in m-commerce 'not-spot'

eBay is urging the UK to improve the country's mobile network infrastructure to enable full growth potential and prevent retailers missing out on valuable revenue.

Research from Verdict, commissioned by eBay UK, warns that the UK market is currently being held back by unreliable mobile broadband. In a submission to communications regulator OFCOM, eBay called on policy-makers to do more to address consumer frustrations when rules for the fourth generation (4G) of mobile networks are agreed later this year.

The research findings reveal that 16% of the country, mostly remote spots such as the Scottish Highlands and rural parts of England and Wales, show significantly weaker mobile Internet spending than the national average. Why? Because people there reside in an 'm-commerce not-spot', says eBay's UK retail director, Angus McCarey.

eBay UK claims that improvements to the mobile network infrastructure could deliver a $6.8 billion boost to the country's economy by 2016 and a further $19.8 billion by 2021.

"The research shows that consumers and retailers are missing out as the cost and reliability of mobile broadband prevents shoppers from spending," said McCarey. "High quality and reliable mobile broadband coverage throughout the UK has to be our ambition, giving consumers choice over when and how they shop, encouraging spending, thereby benefitting online and high street retail, and giving a much needed boost to the fragile economic recovery."